A Tale of Two Shut Ins
by mysoxlike2party
Summary: Prussia and Romano have both become shut-ins, spending their Friday nights taking pictures of themselves and reading god-awful trilight. Suck at summary, doesn't this sound interesting enough? Got some GerIta and Prumano up in this.
1. The Shut Ins

**Anime**: Axis Powers Hetalia  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>Warnings<strong>: Some implied and applied yaois up in this bitch.  
><strong>Pairings<strong>: GerIta. (Which I hate.) Eventual Prumano. (Which I liiiike.)  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Me no own this  
><strong>Notes<strong>: I like how Prumano sounds. Sounds like a type of pasta brand. Or a pasta sauce brand. Prumano. Yum.

* * *

><p>"I'll be going out, Romano~" sang the North Italian, grabbing his jacket from the rack. Romano looked up from his novel.<p>

"Another date with that potato sucker, huh?" assumed Romano. Veneziano began buttoning his jacket up. "Yep~" he replied.

"Will you stop ending your sentence with a fucking tilde?"

"Nope~"

Romano sighed in annoyance and turned the page of his novel. His brother had been in a relationship with the potato bastard for the past year, and he just found out about it two months ago. Veneziano hid it for obvious reasons, but most importantly, he didn't want to make his brother feel lonely. Even though they don't share the brotherly love one would expect from brothers as identical as them, Veneziano couldn't help but feel guilty whenever he left Romano alone on yet another Friday night. He has offered to help his brother find a date so he wouldn't be solitary on nights like these, but Romano turned him down every single time.

Veneziano opened the front door to leave, but decided to try once more.

"…Hey brother? You know Prussia, right?" he asked ever so casually.

"The potato sucker's brother? Yea, what about his potato brother?"

"Well, it's just… he's free, and sing—"

"Will you leave me alone?" cried Romano, slamming his book down on the coffee table, which frankly is never used for coffee, "I don't need anyone right now, and I definitely don't need his _brother_ for _chrissake_!"

"I was just checking!"

"Get out of here!"

"Ok Ok!" Veneziano quickly shut the door behind him. Romano groaned out loudly and sank into the sofa. He put his open book on his face in an attempt to relax.

_So here I am, stuck reading goddamn__Trilight again. I don't even like Trilight. God, it's not even well written. It's like being addicted to something so painstakingly awful you just have to keep doing it._

…_I'm not a shut-in, am I?_

_Oh look, another lonely Friday night for Romano. _

_I never did get a date for prom. _

_I wasn't even invited to the after-party._

…_Which was at my own house._

* * *

><p>"I'll be out for the night, bruder." Called out Germany, pulling on his jacket.<p>

"Another date with that Italy, right?" responded Prussia on the sofa, who was taking pictures of himself on his cell phone out of boredom.

"Ya."

"Can you not end your sentences with a random German word?"

"Nein."

Prussia sighed and snapped another picture of him, this time at a different angle. His brother had been in a relationship with that Italy fellow for the past year or so, and he was only just notified of his brother's affair just two months ago. It's not like Prussia was against homosexuality (he had been pretty experimental himself back in the day) he was just surprised it would be his brother with the first serious relationship.

Germany couldn't help but feel guilty whenever he left Prussia alone on yet another Friday night. He's offered to help his brother find a date so he wouldn't be so alone on nights like these, but Prussia's turned him down every single time.

Germany opened the front door to leave, but decided to try once more.

"Hey, bruder… you know Romano, right?" he asked ever so casually.

"That Italy's brother? Yea, why?"

"Well, he's free, not to mention sing—"

"How many time have I told you to stop trying to hook me up with your random friends?"

"He's not exactly my friend…"

"Not my point! Leave me alone!"

"Ok, Ok! Just trying to help."

"Well stop." Prussia crossed him arms defiantly. "Go to your Italy before he gets his head stuck in the gutter again." Germany nodded and hurriedly closed the door behind him. Prussia groaned out loudly and closed his cell phone.

_Is this all I'm worth for on Friday nights? Taking random pictures of myself to post on some random social networking site like BookFace? Jesus._

He set his phone down on the coffee table.

_Taking pictures would be less boring if I had someone with me._

He looked up at the ceiling.

_When did I become such a shut-in? Was it when my kingdom became abolished? Do I feel I have nothing left to live for? I can't believe people pay good money to have some psychoanalyst with a shitty degree from some shitty college to tell you that. I just figured it out myself in two seconds._

Suddenly, Romano and his background were pushed into the scene, taking up half the frame, like in some sitcom.

_Maybe it is time to meet new people?_ They thought in unison. Prussia snapped one more picture of the bored expression on his face and Romano picked up his goddamn _**Trilight **_to figure out who the hell ends up with that _**Stella**_ chick that Romano wants to smack upside the head with a waffle iron.

* * *

><p><strong>[[Dunno how many chapters this is gonna take up. I hope not too many. I was urged to publish this when my dog peed on the carpet. I was gonna wait a couple days but then he peed on my carpet. I was so angry I published this. So thank my dog for peeing on the carpet.]]<strong>

**[[Also, I just thought "a tale of two shut-ins" sounded catchy and crap, even though the actual book is not similar at all in any context to this crap.]]  
><strong>


	2. The Dinner

**Anime**: Axis Powers Hetalia  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>Warnings<strong>: Some implied and applied yaois up in this bitch.  
><strong>Pairings<strong>: GerIta. (Which I hate.) Eventual Prumano. (Which I liiiike.)  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Me no own this  
><strong>Notes<strong>: I regret nothing

* * *

><p>Although Romano and Prussia had realized their shut-in ways, neither had made any attempt to stop it. Next Friday rolled around, and it was no surprise they were up to absolutely nothing.<p>

"You're not seriously going to spend all Friday night looking up pictures on Mumblr…" feared Germany, who was getting ready for another date with a certain Northern Italian. Prussia was on his laptop, looking at random internet pictures with a very bored expression on his face.

"I'm sorry I don't have an Italian boyfriend who can cook pasta for me every Friday night." Grunted Prussia. Germany felt a pang of guilt as Prussia completed his sentence. It wasn't his fault, but Germany felt like he could have done something to prevent bid brother's… solitary ways.

"My brother… why don't you come with me? For pasta at Italy's home?" suggested Germany. Prussia snorted a mocking snort and put his laptop away.

"Fer what? You know how much of a third wheel I'll feel like?"

"You won't… please, do come."

"Well, nothing good is on Mumblr at the moment. Fine, I'll accept your informal invitation."

* * *

><p>Germany made Prussia clean himself up before departing for Italy's home. They approached the front of the Italian's house. Germany knocked on the door.<p>

"I don't see why I had to get dressed up." Complained Prussia.

"Please. I only asked for pants with no holes in them."

"Those holes are symbolic. They define me. My life."

Germany raised a brow. _His life? With holes? A feeling of emptiness? Something's missing? Why am I contemplating on this?_

The door swung open, revealing a Veneziano who promptly leaped into his lover's arms as soon as they made eye contact.

"Ja ja… okay, get down. Italy, this is Prussia, my older brother."

"Si si!" said Veneziano, shaking Prussia's hand, "I remember!"

"You do?" said Prussia.

"Of course! Please, come in!" Italy let the two enter the home. "Please, make yourself comfortable! Dinner is ready and on the table!"

Prussia was hooking his coat on the coat rack when suddenly he spotted what looked like a clone of Veneziano. A more irritable, serious looking clone.

"The potato-sucker's here, huh? Scoffed Romano entering the living room, "Listen dumb-face, no not you, you Nazi, I mean my pathetic excuse of a brother." Veneziano turned to his brother.

"Nothing's on Mumblr right now so I'm going to take your CD collection and use them as throwing stars." Romano informed.

"Okay~" agreed Veneziano, not fazed at all.

"I didn't ask for your permission _idiota_, I would have done it with or without your consent. Your pasta better not taste like cardboard this time." And with that, Romano turned around and left for Veneziano's priceless CD collection. Prussia stood there in awe.

_How could he talk to his brother like that? And Veneziano didn't say a word back to him! _

"Are you sure you want to let your brother do that your CDs?" Germany asked.

"Yes. At least he didn't choose plates as his throwing stars like last week. And that he didn't choose you for target practice. " Germany gripped his arm, motioning his still present pain of last week's "practice". Italy rubbed Germany's arm and added hopelessly, "It seems he's getting worst every week. He hasn't gone out in months. He's lost all contact with the few friends he had… I don't know what to do anymore."

* * *

><p>Dinner commenced quietly, nothing but the sound of utensils clanking against silverware being heard.<p>

_I still can't believe Romano treats his brother that way. What a mean guy. _Thought Prussia as he chewed. Suddenly, two chairs pushed back.

"Please excuse us, I forgot something in Germany's car." Said Italy generically.

"Ja. I have the keys." Said Germany. The two left the kitchen, leaving Romano and Prussia to sit in awkward silence.

_Hold up. Germany doesn't have a car. We didn't even drive here. _Prussia turned to Romano, who looked like he was trying to suppress a raging tantrum.

_O lord. This better not be a cleverly thought up plan to hook us up. Because this guy looks like the only thing he wants to hook up is my head to the back of a truck._

Prussia tapped his fingers on the table. "So, uh… how was that CD collection?"

Romano gave Prussia a sharp glare.

"Fine. The classical music flew the farthest."

Prussia grinned.

"Probably because I flung it harder since his Classical music are gifts from Nazi-boy."

"You really hate my brother, huh?"

"I despise that man. I have no opinion of you though," assured Romano

"Good to know…" Prussia sank into his seat.

"This pasta sucks, doesn't it?"

"It's not bad," said Prussia.

"Mines is better."

Prussia grinned.

"Can you prove it to me?"

* * *

><p>Romano set a plate of his freshly made pasta before Romano.<p>

"My brother cooks as bad as he loses. I'm the better cook. I mean, of all things he's better than me at… I can assure the position as the better cook." Prussia could hear Romano's sense of inferiority towards his Northern counterpart. Prussia mentally empathized with him, understanding what he's going through.

"Well! Try it!" urged Romano.

Prussia could now honestly say that Friday night he had his own Italian to cook for him.

* * *

><p><strong>[[Next chapter to be published sometime within my life expectancy.]]<strong>


	3. Quite Queer

**Anime**: Axis Powers Hetalia  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T  
><strong>Warnings<strong>: Some implied and applied yaois up in this bitch.  
><strong>Pairings<strong>: GerIta. (Which I hate.) Eventual Prumano. (Which I liiiike.)  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Me no own Hetalia  
><strong>Notes<strong>: Short… it's been months since I've uploaded. I need to get back on track little by little.

* * *

><p><em>Click<em>

Prussia uploaded a picture of himself onto BookFace as part of his never-ending album of self-taken photos. But this one was different… he wasn't alone. Amidst the hundreds of self-taken photos using either crappy camera phones or ridiculously professional cameras that really shouldn't be used for capturing the essence of a duck-face, a single picture of Prussia and Romano taken at a photo booth stood out. There was no bored expression, no duck-face, no depressing sepia tones—no photo editing at all for that matter—no angle tricks to appear more attractive, no grinning for the sake of a good photo, just two guys smiling to express their real emotions—joy. Prussia moved the cursor towards the picture's corner to open up the options. The cursor hovered over the option "make profile picture". Prussia froze.

_Is it too early? Will he think that's weird? Will people think were just friends, or were dating? Should I crop him out?_

His room door suddenly burst open. Prussia immediately minimized the window and spun his chair around to face his intruder.

"Ah, Prussia! Where is that blue tie I bought last week?" asked Germany frantically, opening up all of Prussia's drawers.

"You mean that really gay one? I thought you returned it 'cuz you said it looked too damn gay." Answered Prussia.

"I know it looked pretty homosexual," admitted Germany. Germany avoids using the word "gay" whenever possible, who knows why he prefers the technical term. "But Italy liked how it looked on me so I kept it. Speaking of Italians, how is it with you and Romano?"

Prussia broke out into sweat. "How is what? There's nothing between him and I, silly. Were just acquaintances. "

"People don't upload pictures of their acquaintances on BookFace." Germany flashed his phone up to Prussia's face with BookFace's mobile site and Prussia's new photo on the news feed.

"S-so? I can upload whatever I want!"

Germany shook his head. "Prussia, it's okay. You're exploring your options." Germany placed his hand on his brother's shoulder reassuringly. "Liking this guy is nothing to be ashamed of. You're just curious, and venturing out of your comfort zone is totally normal. If you like how it goes, then go with it."

"…why the hell does it sound like you're assuring me it's okay to be gay? I used to be called _**Rainbow Hunter**_ in college!"

Germany retracted his hand, a little scared, but nevertheless he smiled. He was trying to encourage his brother to become social again. He knew Prussia was as gay as a field of daisies, but hopefully the former Rainbow Hunter can go back to regularly socializing and avoid his already tired psychotherapist.

* * *

><p><strong>[[8D]]<strong>


	4. Downtown

**Anime**: Axis Powers Hetalia  
><strong>Rating<strong>: T … actually M. M to be safe.  
><strong>Warnings<strong>: Some implied and applied yaois up in this bitch.  
><strong>Pairings<strong>: GerIta. (Which I hate.) Eventual Prumano. (Which I liiiike.)  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Me no own Hetalia  
><strong>Notes<strong>: Random anon whose review read update this now, I for some reason took that to heart and did it, 19 days later. What possessed me… I don't know… I love you my reviewers. Truth is, I'd likely marry y'all. This is not the alcohol speaking, I swear it

* * *

><p>It's been a week or so since Prussia's little date with Romano. And neither have contacted each other since. This resulted in a very sexually frustrated Prussia.<p>

"PROLONGED VIRGINITY SUCKS!" whaled Prussia, kicking over his miniature wastebasket. "I'd do anybody at this point!"

"Mein Gott" gagged Germany from the doorway, "Let me go warn the neighbors."

Prussia began picking up the wastebasket he knocked over and its contents.

_I hope to God there's not a used condom in here…_

He picked up the last of the wastebasket then pulled out his cellphone. He scrolled up to Romano's contact information.

_Sh-should I call? Is a week too early?_

Prussia took the plunge and called Romano.

Riiing.

_Shit! Why did I call?_

Riiing.

_Please don't pick up!_

Riiing.

_I'm in too much of an adrenaline rush to talk normally!_

Riiing.

_My poor blood pressure…_

Click noise.

_Kill me now!_

"…You've reached Romano, a.k.a South Italy, a.k.a Italy's better half. Leave a message, or I can just call you back, if I care about you that much, that is."

Beep!

"…"

Prussia ended the call. His face went glum.

_I should have left a voicemail… _

His phone suddenly went off, causing him to drop it and accidently answer the call. It was Romano. Prussia carefully picked it up and croaked a hello.

"You called?"

"Uh, y-yea!" answered Prussia, "I uh, w-wanted to ask you something?"

"What?"

It seemed as if Prussia was the only one hyperventilating.

"If you wanted to hang out again this week? There's some cool stuff going on downtown, and I sure wouldn't wanna go alone. It's always better with someone."

That came out smoother and less desperate sounding than Prussia expected. Some silence, then Romano responded.

"Yea. That sounds fun."

Pleasant surprise on Prussia's part.

"A-Awesomesauce! Can I pick you up Wednesday? At 8?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"See you then!"

Prussia hung up feeling very boss-like. Tomorrow's the day, but the hours dragged on forever for Prussia. 7:40 Wednesday rolled around, and Prussia was ready to do this. He walked over to Romano's place, smoothed his hair, and rang the doorbell as if he does this everyday. The door opened and out stepped Romano with nothing but a bath towel around his waist.

Prussia took a step back out of shock and uttered a couple comprehensible words.

"Eugh you rnt… cri… desnu… ready yet?"

"My poorer half came over and used up all the hot water because he likes to keep it running when doing anything. He says it keeps him company. I just finished torturing myself in Titanic water", responded Romano with a hint of annoyance over his brother.

"I-it's okay…" said Prussia, "clothes are so mainstream anyway."

Romano raised a brow then chuckled. "You hipster you."

Prussia matched his chuckle with an awkward one of his own. Once Romano let him in and entered a room to change, Prussia slapped his forehead in embarrassment.

'_Clothes are so mainstream'? What a stupid line!_

Romano soon stepped out of the room with some everyday clothes on.

"My stupid sibling also borrowed most of my good clothes… so I'm wearing these poor excuses for garments." He explained. The clothes looked a little vintage and hipster, which Romano doesn't like because it just doesn't suit him.

"Yea," laughed Prussia, "you look better with the towel." He immediately realized the double meaning those words held. One, a good jab, the other, an invitation.

Romano interpreted it as the second.

"Y-You want me to put the towel back on? This looks bad right?" fidgeted Romano. Prussia held his hands out.

"N-No, I mean, it was an exa—"

"But you're flirting with me right?"

"Eugh… " Prussia examined the man standing before him. Looks like he was going to blow his top if Prussia _wasn't_ flirting.

_Eh, the sooner were in bed the better._

"I mean, yea, a little."

"Good."

"Good?"

Romano plopped down on the sofa beside him like a wife who figured out her husband wasn't cheating after all.

"I thought I was unattractive… I don't appeal to anyone anymore."

"No!" burst Prussia, sitting down next to him, "How can you think that?"

"When you're the brother of a guy who looks just like you and passes as 'adorable' to anyone he meets and has a handsome foreign boyfriend, I guess the self esteem takes a drop along with the willingness to believe you're not ugly when you can't reciprocate that…"

Prussia bit his lower lip. God can he relate.

"I-I feel the same way toward my brother. I'm so jealous of him and good looks… I feared I'd never live up like him so I shut myself off from the world… and my kingdom coincidently fell into smithereens so that wasn't good timing."

Romano sat up in relief.

"Feels good to know someone going through something similar." said Romano.

"A-And, and, Romano, you are _attractive_." Prussia confessed. "I cannot understand how you'd think you're not. For one, you're freaking Italian. Two, you're smoking as it is."

"Number two didn't make as sense as number one." Pointed out Romano.

"Who cares."

Romano finally let some sunshine enter that face of his.

"I appreciate your words." He thanked.

"They're not just words!" exclaimed Prussia, standing. "I mean them!" Set, he was not going to leave Romano's place without some Italian in him. Eeeww.

"I'd… I'd do you."

Romano stood up, startled. "Wha-at?"

"You heard. You're sexy, and I can prove it to you, if you still don't believe it."

"You're coming on to me?" asked a delirious Romano.

Prussia took a step forward. "I think were past that."

Terror-stricken on the outside, burning with excitement on the inside, Romano stood still.

"I'll take you downtown." Let out a smooth Prussia with his hand out. Words with a double meaning. One meant the literal transportation to a center in town filled with commerce, the other an invitation.

Romano took his hand.

He interpreted it as the second.

* * *

><p><strong>[[o lawd]]<strong>


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